Amber Alert for boy and grandparents continues, police say they have “a big mystery” on their hands | video

Calgary Police Forensic Identification members investigated the disappearance of two grandparents and their 5-year-old grandson on July 1, 2014Colleen De Neve
/ Calgary Herald

The family of five-year-old Nathan O'Brien is seen in a photo from social media. The boy was last seen at his grandparents' home Sunday night..
/ Facebook

Police investigators talk to a witness in front of the Parkhill house where three missing persons were last seen and where a police investigation continues in Calgary, on July 1, 2014.Crystal Schick

The Calgary Police Service is investigating after the suspicious disappearance of a Calgary boy and his grandparents. Nathan O’Brien, 5, is Caucasian, approximately three feet tall, with blond, curly hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing peach-coloured shorts and a striped blue hoodie.Calgary Police
/ Calgary Herald

Police are looking for anyone with information about the suspicious disappearance of Alvin Liknes, Kathryn Liknes and their grandson Nathan O’Brien.

Evidence markers on the driveway of the Parkhill area house where the missing persons were last seen and where a police investigation continues in Calgary, on July 1, 2014.Crystal Schick

The welcoming sign, likely left over from the estate sale, on the front door of the Parkhill area house where the missing persons were last seen and where a police investigation continues in Calgary, on July 1, 2014.Crystal Schick

Police investigators talk to a witness in front of the Parkhill house where three missing persons were last seen and where a police investigation continues in Calgary, on July 1, 2014.Crystal Schick

Evidence markers on the driveway of the Parkhill area house where the missing persons were last seen and where a police investigation continues in Calgary, on July 1, 2014.Crystal Schick

An investigator leaves the Parkhill area house where three missing persons were last seen and where a police investigation continues in Calgary, on July 1, 2014.Crystal Schick

Evidence markers on the driveway of the Parkhill area house where the missing persons were last seen and where a police investigation continues in Calgary, on July 1, 2014.Crystal Schick

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An Amber Alert is out for a five-year-old boy and his grandparents. Here's what we know so far about the suspicious disappearances.

*

* Family members of the missing boy and grandparents are expected to speak to the media at 3 p.m. today.

* Police don't have any significant leads and don't know where the trio might be. An amber alert remains in effect nearly 48 hours after it was issued on Monday.

-Police Chief Rick Hanson spoke to media about the case on Wednesday morning. He said a "significant amount of resources" are being deployed on the investigation and resources will continue to be put forward to chase down "any information, any phone calls, any leads, anything that comes up."

-Hanson said offering a reward is not necessarily "the best thing" because it can lead to people coming forward with information that distracts the police.

* Five-year-old Nathan O'Brien was last seen at his grandparents' home on Sunday night.

* On Monday evening, police issued an Amber Alert for Nathan and his grandparents, Alvin and Kathryn Liknes. They think foul play is involved because the disappearance is out of character.

* Police say there is evidence that the three didn't leave the Liknes' home in Parkhill voluntarily. The grandparents aren't being treated as suspects and all of the Liknes' cars have been accounted for.

* Alvin and Kathryn Liknes held an estate sale over the weekend. Neighbours say the couple was talking about moving to Mexico. They were selling nearly everything in the home.

* Nathan O'Brien, 5 years old, about three feet tall, with blond, curly hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing peach-coloured shorts and a striped blue hoodie. All three are Caucasian.

CALGARY - Alvin and Kathy Liknes were planning a major change in their lives.

The couple had spent the weekend selling what they owned in Calgary, a friend said, and were moving to a condo they had bought in Mexico.

Police on Monday declared them missing along with their five-year-old grandson, Nathan O'Brien, the subject of an unusual Amber Alert without any suspects or likely motives. Nearly 24 hours after the provincewide alert — a long time for such a warning — police appear stumped, with no significant leads despite a flood of public tips.

Nathan's missing grandparents are not considered suspects in an abduction, nor are his mother and father. Police believe the trio left the Liknes' Parkhill home against their will some time between Sunday night and Monday morning, following an estate sale at the house over the weekend.

Cherri Hodgins, Kathy Liknes' friend since junior high, was at the sale on Sunday. She last saw the couple that afternoon. "They were actually pretty happy," she said.

"They did well on the sale. They were relieved they'd sold off some things. They were looking forward to the future and they were looking forward to good change."

She has no idea what happened to them. "We're all in shock and we're at just as much of a loss as everyone else.

"Kathy and Alvin are just beautiful people. They've always been there for everybody. This is totally out of the ordinary for their character."

The couple were planning on moving to Mexico at the end of the month, she said. Property records show their Calgary home was sold to a lawyer for $705,000 in December 2013. Peter Walton, who lives and works in the Parkhill area, said his grandkids played with Nathan at a nearby park Sunday afternoon.

"The boy was great. The grandpa was standing in the garage, which looks right out on the park . . . watching," he said.

Past this, the details of what happened to Alvin and Kathy Liknes and their grandson are a mystery.

Nathan was to spend Sunday night at his grandparents' house. The boy's mother, Jennifer O'Brien, last saw the three about 10 p.m. Sunday. They were gone when she arrived at her parents' home at 10 a.m. on Monday to pick up Nathan.

Police said the Liknes' home was not found in a normal condition, and there was evidence to suggest they had not left of their own volition. No vehicles were missing from the property.

"We're still very optimistic that they're alive and we're doing everything we can to locate them," Insp. Keith Cain said.

In order for an Amber Alert to be issued, there must be "reason to believe the victim is in danger of serious harm or death."

"Given that this is completely out of nature for the grandparents, we look at it and say, 'do we have a reason to fear that foul play is involved here?'" Cain said. "The answer to that question is, obviously, 'yes.' "

Investigators are looking into whether the disappearances are linked to the estate sale, and want to speak to anyone who visited the house over the weekend.

"The bottom line is, we're going to need the assistance of the public," Cain said. "Hopefully somebody remembers something from the weekend or from Monday, maybe they heard something.

"We have a big mystery on our hands right now,"

On Tuesday, a heavy police presence remained at the Liknes' home. Several police cars and the Forensics Crime Scenes Unit were parked outside. Yellow police tape surrounded the front yard and back alley, and forensic investigators trickled in and out of the house as detectives knocked on neighbours' doors.

Alvin Liknes, 66, is described as six feet tall, 200 pounds, with a slim build, grey/blond hair and a distinctive walk. Kathryn Liknes is 53 years old, five foot three, 120 pounds, with red/brown hair and green eyes.

Nathan O'Brien is about three feet tall, with blond, curly hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing peach-coloured shorts and a striped blue hoodie.

All three are Caucasian.

Anyone with information about the case should phone police at 403-266-1234 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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Amber Alert for boy and grandparents continues, police say they have “a big mystery” on their hands | video

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